Dibartolo Trial Likely To Be In City

Sat., Oct. 25, 1997

From Staff And Wire Reports

The Tom DiBartolo murder trial will likely take place in Spokane, the attorney for the former sheriff’s deputy said Friday.

After five days of screening prospective jurors, Maryann Moreno predicted a jury will be selected next week.

Moreno recently asked Superior Court Judge Neal Q. Rielly to move the trial to another county, saying heavy news coverage of the murder case made finding an impartial jury impossible.

By Friday afternoon, after all but 18 of 103 prospective jurors had been questioned individually, more than 40 said they can be impartial, Moreno said.

The final 18 prospective jurors will be questioned Monday and Tuesday. Attorneys will then conduct group interviews to further narrow the pool.

By the end of next week, both sides expect to select a 12-member jury and four alternates. Testimony in the trial is expected to last four to six weeks.

Charged with first-degree murder, DiBartolo is accused of shooting his wife, Patty, while the couple walked in Lincoln Park on the South Hill last Nov. 2.

He insists they were attacked by two black men during an attempted robbery. He said one of them grabbed Patty DiBartolo’s gun and shot her in the head.

Tom DiBartolo was shot in the abdomen, a wound authorities contend was self-inflicted.

, DataTimes

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.